August 3, 2012 — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week reported 12 human infections with H3N2v (swine flu) in Hawaii (one case), Ohio (10 cases), and Indiana (one case).
All of the reported cases were witnessed in people who had direct or indirect contact with swine before their illness. The 10 cases in Ohio resulted from interactions with reportedly ill swine at a fair. The case in Indiana also occurred in an individual who attended a fair where pigs were present.
The CDC has stated that it is possible that acquisition of the M gene from the 2009 H1N1 virus may allow H3N2v viruses to be more transmissible from pigs to people and from person to person. Further, the CDC advises the public to take recommended precautions—particularly frequent hand washing—when interacting with pigs or their environments.
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